


A New Addition

by skywalkersamidala



Category: I Medici | Medici: Masters of Florence (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M, but he totally is, i'm not saying giulio cesare medici-pazzi the cat is showtime's cesare borgia in cat form
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 13:04:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19701955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skywalkersamidala/pseuds/skywalkersamidala
Summary: Lorenzo brings a cat home. Francesco doesn't want to keep the cat, but the cat wants to keep him.





	A New Addition

Francesco was having a very relaxing Sunday. He finished his coffee and went to wash out the mug, humming to himself, before returning to the couch and picking his book back up. Between the bank and Lorenzo, Francesco hadn’t had the chance to settle in for a good reading session in weeks.

But now Lorenzo was out having lunch with Giuliano and Sandro, and when asked if he wanted to join them, Francesco had just stared at him for so long that Lorenzo had mumbled, “I’m guessing that’s a no.” As if he didn’t know Francesco well enough after four years together to know that he would rather stick a fork in his eye than voluntarily spend time with Giuliano. (Sandro was actually all right, or at least Francesco was pretty sure he was, but he and Giuliano came as a pair so often that Francesco really couldn’t be certain.)

The apartment was blissfully quiet and peaceful as Francesco turned the page to the next chapter. For someone who loved literature so much, Lorenzo didn’t really seem to understand the beauty of a quiet afternoon in. He always wanted to _do things_ in their free time, like visit a museum or go on a daytrip or hang out with friends and family. Of course Francesco liked spending time with him, but he was equally happy (if not more so) for that time to be at home doing nothing, whereas Lorenzo felt like the day was a waste if he didn’t accomplish a certain number of things.

Francesco became so absorbed in his book that he lost track of time, and he wasn’t sure how long it had been when he heard the key scraping in the lock. “Hi,” Lorenzo said, shutting the door behind him.

“Hey,” Francesco said without even looking up from the book. “How was lunch?”

“Hmm? Oh, it was good,” Lorenzo said distractedly. “Listen, there’s kind of a situation, please don’t be mad.”

That was a bad sign. Francesco set his book down and looked up at Lorenzo, frowning. “What kind of—is that a _cat?”_

For Lorenzo was holding a ball of black fluff that was squirming and seemed to want to be put down. “Yeah,” Lorenzo said, adjusting his grip on the cat.

“Why?”

“Why is he a cat? Well, that’s a very deep philosophical question—”

“I obviously meant why do you _have_ a cat, idiot.”

“Now, there’s no need to get snippy, Francesco—”

“I think there is, as we agreed on no pets ever and now you’ve gone and brought a cat home without asking me.”

“I’m sorry,” Lorenzo said meekly. “But he was a stray wandering around the café we had lunch at and he just curled up right by our feet the whole time and then followed us when we left, I couldn’t not take him with me.”

“I mean, you could’ve,” Francesco grumbled.

“You’re not allergic, right? Ouch! Okay, okay, I’m putting you down.”

Francesco watched Lorenzo set the cat down on the floor and straighten up again, rubbing his arm where the cat had scratched him. “I thought you said it liked you,” Francesco said.

“He does! Although…I guess it was mostly Sandro he was following,” Lorenzo admitted sheepishly.

“Then why didn’t Sandro take him?”

“He said he’s not in a place where he can be financially or emotionally available to a cat at this time.”

“What?”

“Anyway, you’re not allergic?”

“No, but—”

“Great, then he can stay,” Lorenzo declared. “You hear that, Cesare? You can go ahead and start exploring your new home.”

“You’ve already named him?” Francesco said, raising his eyebrows.

“Of course,” Lorenzo said. “Giulio Cesare Medici-Pazzi, but he goes by Cesare for short.”

“Nerd,” Francesco said under his breath. “And take my name out of there, I want nothing to do with this cat.”

But apparently Giulio Cesare Medici-Pazzi did not share his opinion, as he prowled over to the couch, leapt up onto it, crawled right into Francesco’s lap, and curled up and started purring contentedly.

“Awww, he likes you!” Lorenzo said, looking delighted. “Clearly it’s meant to be.”

Francesco spluttered in indignation and tried to nudge Cesare off him. “Get off, cat.”

“Cesare.”

“Get off, Cesare.”

But he wouldn’t budge. On the contrary, he lifted his head and gave Francesco a _just try and stop me_ look, then put his head back down on his lap and fell asleep.

Francesco heaved a sigh. “Now there’s cat hair all over me and the couch,” he complained.

“Oh, you’ll get used to it once we’ve had him a few weeks,” Lorenzo said, which was not exactly the solution Francesco had hoped for. “Can you keep an eye on him? I’ve got to go get some cat supplies.”

“Not like I have a choice,” Francesco said mournfully, and he picked his book up again as Lorenzo headed back out the door.

As ten minutes passed, then twenty, then thirty, Francesco had to admit that Cesare was a pretty good cat. He just slept peacefully the entire time and didn’t seem to need anything from Francesco other than his lap as free real estate. And his warm little weight did feel kind of nice, and he was awfully cute and soft.

When Lorenzo returned, Francesco was holding his book in one hand and scratching Cesare behind the ear with the other, earning him another round of happy purring. “Look at you two, thick as thieves,” Lorenzo said proudly.

“Hmph,” Francesco replied.

Lorenzo puttered around the apartment unloading his shopping bags and setting up a bed and a litter box and a water dish and a bunch of toys. Then he came and plopped down on the couch next to Francesco.

“How are you settling in?” he cooed to Cesare, reaching out to pet him.

Cesare opened his eyes and hissed at him, then closed them again and nestled closer against Francesco’s stomach. Francesco burst out laughing at the wounded expression on Lorenzo’s face.

“Serves you right,” he said smugly. “Thinking you could get a cat without asking me, it’s very rude, isn’t it, Cesare?”

Cesare purred in agreement.

Francesco had a very amusing rest of the day watching Lorenzo try to win Cesare’s favor, to no avail. And then watching him get yelled at over the phone by Lucrezia after a misleading message in the family group text about a “new addition to the family” made her think she was getting a grandchild, only to find out it was just a cat.

“Although, that’s not a bad idea,” Lorenzo mused after he’d hung up.

Francesco snorted. “One thing at a time, please.”

“Yes, you’re right, we should make sure we’re good cat dads before we think about being human dads.” Lorenzo put his arm around him and scooched closer, and Cesare cracked an eye open to watch him suspiciously. “I beg your pardon, my liege, may I have permission to hug my boyfriend?” Lorenzo asked him exasperatedly, and Francesco snickered.

But Cesare apparently decided to allow it, as he closed his eyes again without further objection. “Anyway, I was going to ask…” Lorenzo continued, his tone growing a little nervous. _“Would_ you want kids someday?”

Francesco smiled and leaned his head against his shoulder. “Only if Cesare doesn’t mind,” he said. “If we get a kid and he doesn’t like them, we’ll just have to send them right off to Guglielmo and Bianca.”

“I’m beginning to think this cat was a bad idea.”

“Oh, _now_ you think so. You’re just mad he likes me more.”

“Maybe. But I can’t really blame him,” Lorenzo added fondly.

Francesco rolled his eyes. “Loser.”

“I love you too.”


End file.
